Esther 4:13 Mordecai sent this reply to Esther: “Don’t think for a moment that because you’re in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed. 14 If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?”

I can’t imagine what Queen Esther was going through at this time. God had placed her at the right place at the right time. Here she had been crowned as queen and had King Xerxes favor. But, now Queen Esther was under pressure to reveal her true identity and save the Jews. This was by all means pressure under fire. This was pressure of life and death. How many times in our lives have we had to make a life threatening decision? And if God put us under such stress would we make the right decision? I’m always taken by the orphan Hadassah that saved her people from extinction. I would hope if the time came that I would make the right decision as Queen Esther, and choose life over death.

Esther was God's secret weapon put into the right position.

Esther 2:20 Esther continued to keep her family background and nationality a secret. She was still following Mordecai’s directions, just as she did when she lived in his home.

God not only positioned Hadassah for victory but her cousin Mordecai as well. Mordecai was at the right place at the right time to hear about the plans of the assassination of a king. He would later obtain the favor of a king.

Esther 2:21 One day as Mordecai was on duty at the king’s gate, two of the king’s eunuchs, Bigthana and Teresh—who were guards at the door of the king’s private quarters—became angry at King Xerxes and plotted to assassinate him. 22 But Mordecai heard about the plot and gave the information to Queen Esther. She then told the king about it and gave Mordecai credit for the report. 23 When an investigation was made and Mordecai’s story was found to be true, the two men were impaled on a sharpened pole. This was all recorded in The Book of the History of King Xerxes’ Reign.

Esther 3:12 So on April 17 the king’s secretaries were summoned, and a decree was written exactly as Haman dictated. It was sent to the king’s highest officers, the governors of the respective provinces, and the nobles of each province in their own scripts and languages. The decree was written in the name of King Xerxes and sealed with the king’s signet ring. 13 Dispatches were sent by swift messengers into all the provinces of the empire, giving the order that all Jews—young and old, including women and children—must be killed, slaughtered, and annihilated on a single day. This was scheduled to happen on March 7 of the next year. The property of the Jews would be given to those who killed them.

But the enemy didn't know one thing that God was preparing for battle without a sword. He had already placed his warriors into position. And those warriors were none other than Hadassah which was now Queen Esther and her cousin Mordecai.

Esther 4:15 Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 16 “Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I must die.” 17 So Mordecai went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him.

Esther didn't even realize herself that she was a warrior for her people until all chaos broke loose. And when it did she was ready to die for her people.

Esther 5:1 On the third day of the fast, Esther put on her royal robes and entered the inner court of the palace, just across from the king’s hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne, facing the entrance. 2 When he saw Queen Esther standing there in the inner court, he welcomed her and held out the gold scepter to her. So Esther approached and touched the end of the scepter.

Here Esther faced life or death and with her own royal position she reached out herself and touched the scepter that could kill her on the spot. But she didn't hesitate. She touched it and found life.

How many times does the enemy tell us that if you face death you will die. But by faith she touched the scepter. She had prepared herself with prayer and fasting. She walked by faith not by sight. She chose not to hide behind her fear, but to walk fearlessly.

Esther 5: 3 Then the king asked her, “What do you want, Queen Esther? What is your request? I will give it to you, even if it is half the kingdom!

Esther won the king over with her beauty and courage. At that moment he saw the real woman that he chose as queen. He looked at her as his equal when she reached and touched the golden scepter. I think at that moment he was overwhelmed with love and courage at the same time from the strength of his beloved queen.

Esther 5:7 Esther replied, “This is my request and deepest wish. 8 If I have found favor with the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my request and do what I ask, please come with Haman tomorrow to the banquet I will prepare for you. Then I will explain what this is all about.”

The king could see that Esther was more than a needy woman seeking the attention from a king. He could see that her heart was so troubled that she would risk her own life for whatever bothered her.

As God was working on Esther and Mordecai he was also working on King Xerxes by disturbing his sleep.

Esther 6:1 That night the king had trouble sleeping, so he ordered an attendant to bring the book of the history of his reign so it could be read to him. 2In those records he discovered an account of how Mordecai had exposed the plot of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the eunuchs who guarded the door to the king’s private quarters. They had plotted to assassinate King Xerxes.3 “What reward or recognition did we ever give Mordecai for this?” the king asked.His attendants replied, “Nothing has been done for him.”

God stirred the spirit inside of the king to give Mordecai favor that would ultimately put him in the right position at the right time to prevent the slaughter of the Jewish nation.

When God goes to battle he doesn't always use weapons to win. He will put the right people, the decision makers in the position to go forward or to prevent it from ever happening.

Esther 6:4 “Who is that in the outer court?” the king inquired. As it happened, Haman had just arrived in the outer court of the palace to ask the king to impale Mordecai on the pole he had prepared.5 So the attendants replied to the king, “Haman is out in the court.”“Bring him in,” the king ordered. 6 So Haman came in, and the king said, “What should I do to honor a man who truly pleases me?”Haman thought to himself, “Whom would the king wish to honor more than me?” 7 So he replied, “If the king wishes to honor someone, 8 he should bring out one of the king’s own royal robes, as well as a horse that the king himself has ridden—one with a royal emblem on its head. 9 Let the robes and the horse be handed over to one of the king’s most noble officials. And let him see that the man whom the king wishes to honor is dressed in the king’s robes and led through the city square on the king’s horse. Have the official shout as they go, ‘This is what the king does for someone he wishes to honor!’”10 “Excellent!” the king said to Haman. “Quick! Take the robes and my horse, and do just as you have said for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the gate of the palace. Leave out nothing you have suggested!”11 So Haman took the robes and put them on Mordecai, placed him on the king’s own horse, and led him through the city square, shouting, “This is what the king does for someone he wishes to honor!” 12 Afterward Mordecai returned to the palace gate, but Haman hurried home dejected and completely humiliated.

Here God humiliates the enemy Haman by making him escort Mordecai wearing the king's robe and shows Haman he is not the head but the tail. And Haman is humiliated having to show favor to the very one that he wants dead.

But here God is saying Mordecai belongs to me whomever harms him, harms me. Mordecai is being placed in the royal position to make the decisions for a king.

God begins to put the enemy of Mordecai at his feet where he becomes untouchable.

God knows Haman's evil motives.

Esther 6:13 When Haman told his wife, Zeresh, and all his friends what had happened, his wise advisers and his wife said, “Since Mordecai—this man who has humiliated you—is of Jewish birth, you will never succeed in your plans against him. It will be fatal to continue opposing him.”14 While they were still talking, the king’s eunuchs arrived and quickly took Haman to the banquet Esther had prepared.

This message is prophetic warning against Haman of his fate if he continues to pursue Mordecai.

Esther 7:3 Queen Esther replied, “If I have found favor with the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my request, I ask that my life and the lives of my people will be spared. 4 For my people and I have been sold to those who would kill, slaughter, and annihilate us. If we had merely been sold as slaves, I could remain quiet, for that would be too trivial a matter to warrant disturbing the king.”5 “Who would do such a thing?” King Xerxes demanded. “Who would be so presumptuous as to touch you?”6 Esther replied, “This wicked Haman is our adversary and our enemy.” Haman grew pale with fright before the king and queen. 7 Then the king jumped to his feet in a rage and went out into the palace garden.Haman, however, stayed behind to plead for his life with Queen Esther, for he knew that the king intended to kill him. 8 In despair he fell on the couch where Queen Esther was reclining, just as the king was returning from the palace garden.The king exclaimed, “Will he even assault the queen right here in the palace, before my very eyes?” And as soon as the king spoke, his attendants covered Haman’s face, signaling his doom.9 Then Harbona, one of the king’s eunuchs, said, “Haman has set up a sharpened pole that stands seventy-five feet tall in his own courtyard. He intended to use it to impale Mordecai, the man who saved the king from assassination.”“Then impale Haman on it!” the king ordered. 10 So they impaled Haman on the pole he had set up for Mordecai, and the king’s anger subsided.

Esther 8:1 On that same day King Xerxes gave the property of Haman, the enemy of the Jews, to Queen Esther. Then Mordecai was brought before the king, for Esther had told the king how they were related. 2 The king took off his signet ring—which he had taken back from Haman—and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed Mordecai to be in charge of Haman’s property.3 Then Esther went again before the king, falling down at his feet and begging him with tears to stop the evil plot devised by Haman the Agagite against the Jews. 4 Again the king held out the gold scepter to Esther. So she rose and stood before him.5 Esther said, “If it please the king, and if I have found favor with him, and if he thinks it is right, and if I am pleasing to him, let there be a decree that reverses the orders of Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, who ordered that Jews throughout all the king’s provinces should be destroyed. 6 For how can I endure to see my people and my family slaughtered and destroyed?”7 Then King Xerxes said to Queen Esther and Mordecai the Jew, “I have given Esther the property of Haman, and he has been impaled on a pole because he tried to destroy the Jews. 8 Now go ahead and send a message to the Jews in the king’s name, telling them whatever you want, and seal it with the king’s signet ring. But remember that whatever has already been written in the king’s name and sealed with his signet ring can never be revoked.”9 So on June 25 the king’s secretaries were summoned, and a decree was written exactly as Mordecai dictated. It was sent to the Jews and to the highest officers, the governors, and the nobles of all the 127 provinces stretching from India to Ethiopia. The decree was written in the scripts and languages of all the peoples of the empire, including that of the Jews. 10 The decree was written in the name of King Xerxes and sealed with the king’s signet ring. Mordecai sent the dispatches by swift messengers, who rode fast horses especially bred for the king’s service.11 The king’s decree gave the Jews in every city authority to unite to defend their lives. They were allowed to kill, slaughter, and annihilate anyone of any nationality or province who might attack them or their children and wives, and to take the property of their enemies. 12 The day chosen for this event throughout all the provinces of King Xerxes was March 7 of the next year.13 A copy of this decree was to be issued as law in every province and proclaimed to all peoples, so that the Jews would be ready to take revenge on their enemies on the appointed day. 14 So urged on by the king’s command, the messengers rode out swiftly on fast horses bred for the king’s service. The same decree was also proclaimed in the fortress of Susa.15 Then Mordecai left the king’s presence, wearing the royal robe of blue and white, the great crown of gold, and an outer cloak of fine linen and purple. And the people of Susa celebrated the new decree. 16 The Jews were filled with joy and gladness and were honored everywhere. 17 In every province and city, wherever the king’s decree arrived, the Jews rejoiced and had a great celebration and declared a public festival and holiday. And many of the people of the land became Jews themselves, for they feared what the Jews might do to them.

How can we believe in our hearts and souls that God doesn't have our best interest?

God's working in the background right now. He's working being the walls of the White House. He's working on the grounds of Israel and Afghanistan. He already knows how it all ends. God's so good and always in control even when we don't see him.Esther 9:1 So on March 7 the two decrees of the king were put into effect. On that day, the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, but quite the opposite happened. It was the Jews who overpowered their enemies. 2The Jews gathered in their cities throughout all the king’s provinces to attack anyone who tried to harm them. But no one could make a stand against them, for everyone was afraid of them. 3And all the nobles of the provinces, the highest officers, the governors, and the royal officials helped the Jews for fear of Mordecai. 4For Mordecai had been promoted in the king’s palace, and his fame spread throughout all the provinces as he became more and more powerful.We should all look at the position that God has put us in whether it be financial or what and say to ourselves what can I do for God? What can I do for others? When we start thinking about life and realize that it isn't about our position or power. It's all about God and where he's positioning us to help others.We live in a dark world looking for answers. We live in a world where people walk around in anger wanting to hurt or destroy others, like the enemy Haman. If we look around we can always see a Haman. But, where are all the Esther's and Mordecai's in the world standing ready to step forward and sacrifice their lives if necessary for mankind. I see them in our military. I hear their voices on tv. But to be honest I don't see a lot of Esther's. Oh, lord help me to see the need of people, and to use my position in life to always help others. Let me live a life of selflessness, and above all that I should always have your favor. Amen.